Apparatus for drying coated films



C. ROSIER.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING COATED FILMS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1915. RENEWED AUG. 26. 1919.

\ Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

. 2 SHEETSSHEET 1- a 2/. Z WEEQEE C. ROSIER.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING COATED FILMS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 30. I915. RENEWED AUG. 26. I919.

1,336,050. Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ROSIER, on NEW YORK, N.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING COATED FILMS.

Application filed July 30, 1915, Serial No. 42,817.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be .it known that T, CHARLES Rosmn, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at 417 West 56th street, New York city, New York, have invented Improved Apparatus for Drying Coated Films, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for applying coatings of a suitable solution to cinematographic and like films, and for supporting the films while the coatings thus applied are dried.

In apparatus of this kind heretofore known, it has been necessary, when it is desired to coat both sides of the film, for example, with a protecting, regenerating or sensitizing coating, to apply a coating of varnish or other appropriate solution first to one side only of the film, and then to pass the film to a drying apparatus in which this coating is dried previously to the application of a coating to, and the drying of this coating on the remaining side.

This invention comprises a novel form of winder or drying frame allowing lengths of film with wet or moist coatings on both sides thereof, to be wound up and supported during the drying operation. The said invention also comprises an arrangement of reservoirs, troughs and rollers permitting the application of coatings of solution simultaneously or substantially simultaneousl to both sides of the film.

T 1e accompanying drawings show how the said invention may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice. In these drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus comprising film coating devices and a winder or drying frame device, arranged according to this invention, and

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same.

Figs. 3 and 4 are end and side views, respectively, of parts of the winder or drying frame, drawn to a larger scale.

Figs. 5 and 6 are side and end views, respectively, drawn to a larger scale, of one of the film coating devices shown separately.

As shown in these drawings, 1 is a film to be treated in the improved apparatus.

This film has been wound on a reel 2 which may be suitably geared to a windin handle 3, or the reel 2 may have the film wound thereon in a separate winding machine. After the reel has been putin posi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Renewed August 26, 1919. Serial No. 320,046.

tion with the film wound thereon, a brake strap 4 stretched by a weight 5 is hung over the film to restrain unwinding of the same. From this reel the film is led by guide rollers 6, 6 on to a coating roller 7 The coating solution to be applied to the film 1 is taken up by the coating roller 7 from a trough 8 which can be raised or lowered, by turning its supporting arms 9 so that the roller dips to a convenient depth in the solution contained therein. A looking pin 10 is provided to hold thetrough in the required position, this pin being arranged, if required, so as to allow adjustments of the position of the trough, for example by making the pin eccentric to a hole in the frame in which it is inserted and can be turned, or by providing a series of holes into any one of which the pin can be placed.

The coating solution is fed to and preferably maintained at a constant level in this trough. For this purpose, as shown, the solution is supplied through an outlet orifice at the lower part of a reservoir 11 provided with a vent pipe 12 arranged to dip into the trough, so that when the liquid level rises therein, the vent is closed and checks the flow of liquid from the reservoir until the liquid level falls and again opens the vent.

A spreading roller 13 is provided to remove any excess of coating solution taken up by the coating. roller 7 and this spreading roller 13 is carried on an arm 1 1 rotatable about a pin 15 by means of a handle 16 which can be locked to hold the roller 13 in the desired position, by means of a clamping screw or of a spring pushed pin 17 entering one of a series of holes 18 formed in suitable positions for this pur- I pose. By suitably adjusting the position of the handle 16 and thereby adjusting the distance between the rollers 13 and 7 the amount of solution applied to the film can be varied. The employment of the roller 13 also insures that the layer of solution taken up by the roller 7 is evenly spread on the latter and, consequently, is delivered evenly along the length of the film which passes around the upper part only of this roller, in contact therewith, and does not pass into the trou 11.

The fi m thus coated on one side, is taken off from the coating roller 7 around guide rollers, 19, 19 and led to another part of I Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

to support the film by its edges only since it is not usually necessary, or required, to

' apply solution to these parts of thefilm,

and the coating rollers 7 and 7 are therefore made of such a width that the edges of the film are left uncoated.

The coated film next passes to a winder or drying frame comprising radial members 26 and axial members 27 supported on aspindle 28 provided with a handle-wheel 29 or other handle by which it can be turned in supporting bearings 30 provided in frame members 31. The bearings 30 are of a kind, for example, simple slots, to allow the spindle 28 to be readily lifted out and replaced therein. The axial members 27 of the winder or drying frame are made semi-cylindrical in cross-section and have transverse rails 32, T-shaped in crosssection mounted at regular distances a art on their rounded surfaces, as shown in ig. 4. The rails 32 on one member 27 are staggered with respect to the rails on the opposite member. When the film is wound thereon the stems of the rails form guides for spacing each lap of film and the film is supported only by its edges which rest on the horizontal limbs of the rails.

By reason of the staggered arrangement of the rails 32, the film is wound on the winder in an approximately spiral manner,

and in order to feed the film properly lap by lap into the adjacent spaces between the rails, the coating devices are mounted together on a table 33 movable parallel to the winder axis along a frame 25 by a feed screw 34 rotated synchronously with the winder. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the table 33 is carried on rollers 35 traveling on bars 36, and is guided between .rails' 37.

One or more winders or drying frames may be mounted on each spindle 28. In the drawingstwo winders are shown, one within the other on the spindle 28. The inner winder 26, 27 is fast on the spindle while the outer winder 26 27 a which is loose thereon, 1s provided with a spring controlled latch arm 38 whichw'zan engage either in a hole 39 in one frame member or in a hole 40 in one of the radial members 26 of the inner .winder, as desired.

When the apparatus is put to use, the film is first wound from the second coating roller 7 on to the inner winder 26, 27 while the outer winder 26*, 27 is locked to the frame. 1V hen the inner winder is fully wound with film, the outer winder is locked to the inner winder and rotated therewith to wind on the continuation of the film. If the inner winder is wound with film from leftto right, the outer winder is wound from right to left, or vice versa, the direction of travel of the table 33 being changed accordingly.

The winder or winders Wound with coated fihn can be removed to a dryin chamber, or left to dry in the apparatus. Vhen the coatings are dry the winder or winders are replaced in the apparatus, with the spindle 28 in the bearings 30, and the film can be wound off on to a reel or spool rotated by means of the winding device operated by the handle 3, the table 33 being appropriately traversed in front of the winder as film is taken off therefrom.

I claim 1. Apparatus for drying a coating of a solution applied to a film comprising a winder, and separators arranged in spaced relation thereon and adapted to receive portions of the coated film between them and having axially spaced portions arranged to gllilglage and support the edges only of the 2. Apparatus for. drying a coating of a solution applied to a film comprising a winder, and T-shaped rails arranged in spaced relation thereon and adapted to receive between them convolutions of the coated film.

3. Apparatus for drying coatings of a solution applied to opposite sides of a film comprising a winder,'and T-shaped rails arranged thereon with their base flanges disposed to engage the edges of convolutions of the film.

4. Apparatus for drying a coating of a solution applied to a film comprising a pair of co-axial winder members, T-shaped rails spaced apart thereon and adapted to receive convolutions of the film between them, the rails on one member being staggered with respect to the rails-on the other member, andmeans movable in a direction parallel to the axis of the winder for guiding the film while winding thereon. a

5. Apparatus" for drying a coating of a solution applied to a film comprising a winder adapted to receive thereon convolutions of a coated film and having helically arranged axially separated spacers for engaging and supporting the edges only of the 1m and for separating the convolutions of the film, and guiding means movable relatively to the winder in a direction axially thereof to direct the film appropriately upon said spacers during winding of the film.

6. pparatus for drying a coating of a solution applied to'a film comprising a pair of co-axial winders each adapted to receive convolutions of the coated film, means ,for holding one of the Winders from rotation during Winding of the coated film on the other winder, and means for connecting the Winders to rotate in unison during Winding of the coated film on the other Winder.

7 Apparatus for drying a coated film comprising a pair of Winders rotatable one With in the other and on a common axis, means for holding the outer Winder non-rotatable during Winding of the coated film on the inner Winder, means for connecting the winders to rotate in unison during winding of the film on the outer Winder, and guiding means common to both Winders and, movable in a direction parallel to the axis thereof for directing the film during Winding thereof on both Winders.-

CHARLES ROSIER. Witnesses:

ERNST ZAPPERT, CHAS. MGCUNNETHQ 

